Encoding mechanism

ABSTRACT

AN ENCODING MECHANISM COMPRISING AN ACTUATOR MOUNTED FOR ROTATION THROUGH FOUR EQUALLY SPACED POSITIONS, A SPRING FOR RETAINING THE ACTUATOR IN EACH OF THE FOUR POSITIONS AND FOR DRIVING THE ACTUATOR TO THE NEXT POSITION UPON A PREDETERMINED AMOUNT OF ROTATION OF THE ACTUATOR, A KEYLEVER FOR ROTATING THE ACTUATOR THE PREDETERMINED AMOUNT, A ROTATABLY MOUNTED SHUTTER AND A PLURALITY OF FINGERS EXTENDING FROM THE ACTUATOR AND POSITIONED TO ENGAGE THE SHUTTER, TO ROTATE THE SHUTTER THROUGH A PREDETERMINED ARC AND TO RELEASE THE SHUTTER AS THE ACTUATOR MOVES TO THE NEXT POSITION UNDER THE ACTION OF THE SPRING.

States tent [72] Inventor [54] ENCODING MECHANISM OTHER REFERENCES Keying Mechanism" Laybourn & Toben IBM Technical Disclosure Vol. 10 #3 August 1967 "Keyboard" Sedaris IBM Technical Disclosure Vol. 10 #6 Nov. 1967 High Speed Keyboard" Barnardt Heiser IBM Technical Disclosure Vol.5 #10 March 1963 Primary Examiner-Kathleen H. Claffy Assistant Examiner-Tom DAmico Attorneys-TL. Landis and RP. Miller ABSTRACT: An encoding mechanism comprising an actuator mounted for rotation through four equally spaced positions, a spring for retaining the actuator in each of the four positions and for driving the actuator to the next position upon a predetermined amount of rotation of the actuator, a keylever for rotating the actuator the predetermined amount, a rotatably mounted shutter and a plurality of fingers extending from the actuator and positioned to engage the shutter, to rotate the shutter through a predetermined arc and to release the shutter as the actuator moves to the next position under the action of the spring.

PMENIEU M28 49?! INVENTOR FRANCIS iP; lKAHANflC ATTORNEY ENCODING MECHAN1SM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In the preferred embodiment an encoding mechanism useful in the keyboard encoding mechanism disclosed in the above-identified Gianni et al. patent is comprised of an actuator movable from a first position through a second position to a third position, a keylever for moving the actuator from the first position to the second position, means responsive to movement of the actuator to the second position for moving the actuator to the third position independently of the keylever, and encoding member and means on the actuator for operating the encoding member as the actuator moves from the second position to the third position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING A more complete understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the following Detailed Description when taken in conjunction with the drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a right side view of an encoding mechanism employing the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing the component parts of the mechanism in the position they occupy at a different stage in the operation of the device, and

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing the parts at the position they occupy at a still different stage in the operation of the device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring now to the drawing, wherein like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the several views, there is shown an encoding mechanism similar in many respects to the to the encoding mechanism shown in FIG. 3 of said patent. Insofar as possible the reference numerals used in the descriptionof the encoding mechanism disclosed in said patent are use herein to designate the same or similar parts.

The encoding mechanism shown in FIG. 1 employs many parts that are similar to parts employed in the encoding mechanism disclosed in said patent. Forexample, the encoding mechanism 31 shown in FIG. 1 employs a keylever 55 having a keytop 56 that is mounted on a frame 50 for reciprocatery movement with respect thereto initially against and with the action of a spring 81 that is attached to the frame 80 by a fastener 82 and subsequently against and with the action of both the spring 81 and a keylever return mechanism 61. The keylever 55 is guided in its reciprocatory movement by a pair of pins 83 and 84 that extend through a pair of slots 85 and 86 in the frame 80 respectively. The device shown in FIG. 1 also employs rotary shutter 106 that is pivotally supported on a shaft 107 for rotary movement with respect to a fixed stop 117. The shutter 106 is positioned in a cutaway portion 105 of the frame 80 and has a plurality of tabs 110 extending radially from it. The tabs 110 are positioned to cover individual ones ofa plurality of light conducting holes 112 extend through the frame 80 and are adapted to be selectively broken away so that their respective light conducting holes 112 are not covered upon rotary movement of the shutter 106. And, the device shown in FIG. 1 employs a pair of square rods 71 and 74 which extend through square keyways 70 and 72 respectively in the frame 80 to position the encoding mechanism 31 with respect to similar devices.

Some of the features of the encoding mechanism 31 shown in the drawing are somewhat different structurally from similar parts of the device disclosed in the above-identified Gianni et al. patent but are identical functionally. For example, a spring 116 is connected between the shutter 106 and the frame to rotate the shutter 106 counterclockwise with respect to the frame 50 into engagement with the pin 117. Because of this a universal hole blocking tab 113 of the shutter 106 is oriented to normally position a pin 111 at the bottom of a slot 115 extending through the frame 80 and a universal hole 111 is positioned just above, rather than just below, the tab 113. Further, the left-hand or front'leg of the keylever 55 is positioned in a shallow cutaway area 1511 of the frame 80 on the same side of the frame 80 as the shutter 106 rather than on the opposite side of the frame. Finally a tab and a hole 121 are positioned on the upper side of the frame 50 rather than on the lower side.

The major difference between the device shown in the drawing and the mechanism disclosed in the above-identified Gianni et al. patent is that the shutter 106 is operated by a shutter actuator 151 positioned within a deep cutaway area 152 of the frame 80 rather than by the shutter actuating mechanism disclosed in the Gianni et al. patent. The shutter actuator 151 is pivotally supported with respect to the frame 80 on a post 153 by a bearing 154i and is comprised of a shutter engaging portion 155, a spring engaging portion 156 and a keylever engaging portion 157. The shutter actuator 151 may be formed from a unitary body of material or the component parts thereof may be individually formed and then rigidly joined one to the other.

A square notch 162 is formed in the right-hand edge of the left-hand or front leg of the keylever 55 and is defined by an upper surface 163, a side surface 164 and a bottom surface 165. The keylever engaging portion 157 of the shutter actuator 151 is provided with four equally spaced fingers 166 each of which extends radially from the keylever engaging portion 157 for enough to be engageable by the upper surface 163 and the bottom surface 165 of the notch 162 of the keylever 55. The spring engaging portion 156 is provided with four flat side surfaces 167 that are arranged in a square about the post 153. The shutter engaging portion is provided with four equally spaced shutter engaging fingers 168 that extend radially far enough from the shutter engaging portion 155 to engage the post 111 of the shutter 106 during rotation of the shutter actuator 151.

Rotation of the shutter actuator 151 with respect to the post 153 is controlled by the surfaces 163 and of key lever 55 and by a spring 169 that extends from a hole 170 around a post 171 and then substantially parallel to the left-hand or front leg of the keylever 55. The spring 169 is positioned in a medium cutaway portion 172 of the frame 80 in engagement with one of the sides 167 of the spring engaging portion 156 of the shutter actuator 151 and serves to retain the actuator 151 in each of four rotative positions each characterized by one of the sides 167 extending parallel to the spring 169.

OPERATION other component parts of the shutter actuator 151, rotation of the keylever engaging portion 157 causes the spring engaging portion 156 to rotate with respect to the spring 158. This action, which flexes the spring 169 outwardly with respect to the post 153, continues until the shutter actuator 151 id driven to the position shown in FIG. 2 of the drawing whereat a corner of the spring engaging portion 156 is positioned in engagement with a point on the spring 169 that may be termed an equalibrium point. At this point a line extending perpendicularly from the tangent of the spring 169 extends through the center 'of rotation of the shutter actuator 151 in this case, the axis of the post 153. Any further rotation of the shutter actuator 151 from the equilibrium point causes the spring 169 to impose a force component on the shutter 151 that tends to drive the shutter. actuator 151 into its next rotative position, that is, into the position whereat the side 167 of the spring engaging portion 156 positioned adjacent the side 167 of the portion 156 that was last in engagement with the spring spring 169 is in engagement with the spring 169. This action occurs regardless of whether the keylever 55 is further depressed, is released or is held stationary, that is, the shutter actuator 151 immediately snaps to its next rotative position independently of the keylever 55. it should be noted that if the keylever 55 is released at any time prior to the snaping of the shutter actuator 151 to the next rotative position by the spring 169.the action of the spring 81 moves the keylever 55 upwardly thereby bringing the bottom surface 165 of the notch 162 of the keylever 55 into engagement with the finger 166 of the keylever engaging portion 157 that was previously engaged by the upper surface 163 thereby returning the mechanism to the position shown in FIG. 1.

Referring again to FIG. 2, it will be seen that the shutter engaging fingers 168 of the shutter engaging portion 156 of the shutter actuator 151 are positioned on the shutter actuator 151 so that they are out of engagement with any portion of the shutter 106 at all times when the rotation of the shutter actuator 151 is under control of the keylever 55. As soon as rotation of the shutter 151 to its next rotative position comes under control of the spring 169, that is, when the shutter actuator 151 is rotated just past the equilibrium position shown in FIG. 2, one of the fingers 168 engages the post 114 of the shutter 106. As the shutter actuator 151 moves to its next rotative position independently of the keylever 55 the finger 168 of the shutter engaging portion 155 of the shutter actuator 151 rotates the shutter 106 clockwise against the action of the spring 1 16. During this time the holes 112 are covered by their respective tabs 110 if their respective tabs 110 have not been broken away and are then partially uncovered in the manner set forth in the above-identified Gianni et a1. patent.

As the shutter actuator 151 nears the end of its movement to its next rotative position under the power of the spring 169 independently of the keylever 55 the finger 168 engaged with the post 114 and the post 114 moves into the position shown in FIG. 3 whereat the divergent arcuate paths of the finger 168 and the post 1 14 causes the two parts to separate one from the other. This frees the shutter 106 for return movement into engagement with the post 117 under the power of the spring 116 as the shutter actuator member 151 completes its movement to its next rotative position under the action of the spring 169. This returns the mechanism to the condition shown in FIG. 1, the only difference being that the shutter actuator 151 is in its next rotative position, that is, the shutter actuator 151 has been rotated 90 counterclockwise. Of course, since all of the components of the shutter actuator 151 are symmetrical with respect to the axis of rotation of the actuator 151, rotation of the shutter 106 to its next rotative position merely restores the shutter to its previous condition, i.e., the condition shown in FIG. 1.

The sole function of the keylever 55 of the encoding mechanism 31 is to rotate the shutter actuator 151 past its equilibrium point thereby placing its continued rotation solely under control ofthe spring 169 and rendering it completely independent of the'keylever 55. This feature of the mechanism in combination with the positioning of the shutter engaging fingers 168 for engagement with the shutter 106 only during the portion of the rotation of the shutter 106 actuator 151 controlled by the spring 169 prevents any rotation of the shutter 106 until a complete function, including the rotation of the shutter 106 to a blocking position and the return of the shutter 106 to the position shown in FIG. 1, is assured. This means that if the encodin mechanism 31 shown in the drawing is incorporated into a eyboard encoding device any keylever or combination of keylevers of the keyboard encoding device can be held partially depressed while any other keylever is actuated without causing the generation of an erroneous character.

Although only one embodiment. of the invention is shown in the drawings and described in the foregoing specification it will be understood that the invention is not limited to that specific embodiment but is capable of modification, rearrangement and substitution of parts and elements without departing from the scope of the invention.

1 claim:

1. In an encoding device of the type wherein an encoder is arranged for cycling in a first path between a passive and an active condition in response to manual depression of key means mounted in a keyboard for reciprocation in a linear path between a start stroke position past a medial position to an end stroke position, and having means for restoring the key means to its start stroke position, and means for restoring the encoder to a passive position, the subcombination of means for releasably coupling said key to said encoder and comprising:

an interposer mounted for rotation;

first extension means arranged for movement into and out of said linear path as said key means moves from its start stroke through its medial position for angularly moving said interposer; second extension means connected from said interposer and proportioned to project into said first path as said key means is depressed beyond its medial position for moving said encoder from its passive to its active position; and

biasing means associated with interposer for urging said key means to its start stroke position through said first extension means upon release of said key means when depressed while said first extension is disposed in said linear path, and for urging said encoding means towards its active position upon release of the said key means when depressed while said first extension means is disposed out of said linear path.

2. A subcombination according to claim 1 wherein said biasing means is a spring having an overcenter condition for rotating said interposer in opposite angular directions.

3. A subcombination according to claim 2 wherein the interposer has a plurality of symmetrically arranged corners proportioned for rotation into and out of engagement with said spring as said interposer is rotated to tension and relax said spring.

4. A subcombination according to claim 1 wherein said first extension means is carried from said interposer.

5. A subcombination according to claim 4, wherein the key means comprises a key and an associated arm arranged for linear reciprocation in said linear path, said arm having a flat surface proportioned (1) for engaging said first extension means as said key means moves from its start stroke position toward its medial position for rotating said interposer and (2) for disengagement from said first extension means as said interposer moves beyond its medial position toward its end stroke position.

6. A subcombination according to claim 4, wherein said first extension means comprises a plurality of first extensions projecting outwardly from said interposer in symmetrically spaced associated.

7. A subcombination according to claim 6, wherein said second extension means comprises a plurality of second extensions corresponding with the first extensionsand projecting outwardly from said interposer in symmetrically spaced association whereby said encoder is cyclable repeatedly during each interposer cycle.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3 588 344 Dated June 28, 1971 Inventofls) Francis P. Kahanic It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 1, line 6, change "3,507,955" to 3,507,995 line 11, change sine to since Column 4, line 64, change "associated" to association Signed and sealed this 17th day of October 1972.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents FORM PO-1050 (10-69) USCOMM-DC GOS'IG-PGD fi LLS. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 19! 0-3 5-334. 

